Whippets Gone Wild!!!

[jeboat]

I don't know how many people watch the online fedora auctions but lately there has been a real bidding war on nice Whippets and other vintage Stetsons. Some have fetched $150.00+ for these "old timers!"

I guess a hat is like everything else, it is worth whatever one will pay for it. Me, I would rather spend my money on a nice beaver custom hat.

jeboat

 

[kpreed]

I agree that that is way more then I would pay, but people always surprise me.

 

[Solid Citizen]

The same OLD song

Ebay prices on 1940's Stetson's have remained high, BUT still cheaper than a custom hatter job. There are trade offs to either route you go!

Solid Citizen [huh]

 

[Spellflower]

I spent just over $200 for my Whippet, once you tack on the shipping, but that's still $100 less than an entry level Art Fawcett, and I had it within a week of my purchase.

Considering that Akubras start at about $100 and have no beaver, and the cheapest new hat with any beaver content that I know of (Camptown) is $190 shipped, $200 seemed pretty reasonable to me for a hat with legendary quality and styling, and history to boot.

The fact is, these hats went for a lot of money when they were new, and continue to fetch a high price now that they are scarce. There may have been a time when they were simply unfashionable relics that could be picked up cheap by the a small niche of people who realized their value, but thanks to The Bay and The Lounge, those days are gone.

 

[Colby Jack]

Then maybe a VS Whippet!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Yohanes]

Yeah, I sometimes watched Whippet... and when they are in 7 1/4 - 7 3/8 size you can bet the price will skyrocket...

Stratoliner - Open Road, or other brand but with identical appearance, well, once you see them in big size it will blow too very quickly...

Although sometimes I just don't understand the bidders' mind... few months ago I saw a listing of used grey Akubra Fed. The winning bid is USD 102.50. Why, with that price plus some cost he could get new! Oh, that's the seller's luck anyway.

 

[tonyb]

Ebay prices on 1940's Stetson's have remained high, BUT still cheaper than a custom hatter job. There are trade offs to either route you go!

Solid Citizen [huh]

Man, SC, haven't heard from you in a spell. Nice to have you back.
As Spellflower noted, a couple of C's for a vintage hat seems like a lot, until you see what else can be had for that kind of dough. I'm not one to drop that much on an eBay lid (not yet, anyway), but then, my collection is already quite extensive, so I have the luxury of waiting for the bargains that can still be found (when I'm on the lookout) without going hatless. Still, I'd sooner spend $200 on a clean Whippet (or another desirable vintage hat) than $300 or more on a new Borsalino.
Nothing novel in any of this, by the way. We've been over this territory about a hundred times before -- just change some of the particulars and inflate the price a bit over what it was the last time we had this discussion. But the topic nonetheless remains as germane as ever. If there are good things in this (and there are, of course), near the top of the list is that the higher prices make it likelier that the good old hats will be better cared for. It seems reasonable to suppose that a person who spends $200 on an old hat will be more prone to taking care of it than would a person who bought it on a whim for five bucks at a garage sale. Hope so, anyway.

 

[Johnnysan]

I spent just over $200 for my Whippet, once you tack on the shipping, but that's still $100 less than an entry level Art Fawcett, and I had it within a week of my purchase.

Spellflower,

If that's the Whippet in your avatar, you did GREAT! :cheers1:

 

[Spellflower]

Colby Jack, that's a great idea, but you wouldn't be the first!

Johnnysan, thanks for your kind words- and the beer! It is indeed my new signature Whippet, which you can see more of here.

 

[indycop]

Then maybe a VS Whippet!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

hmmmnn I need an idea for my next one, since all I know is I want dark moss.

 

[Colby Jack]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap A dark moss whippet.....:eusa_clap :eusa_clap
For those of us with "larger than normal brain syndrome"...an AF Whippet clone is the best bang for the buck I can think of....